Emergency worker and councillor back signage to alert migrants to peril of swimming in Murray River

Paul Marshall and David Thurley were speaking in the wake of Congolese refugee Jules Lunanga, 18, going missing in the waterway on Christmas Day.

Mr Lunanga's friends said he only had one lesson about river safety and they backed warning signs in multiple languages.

Mr Marshall, captain of the Albury and Border Rescue Squad and assistant regional co-ordination officer with Resilience NSW, hopes signage will be in place by next summer.

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He said Albury Council had done an aquatic study to address issues with culturally and linguistically diverse citizens.

"We're hoping there will be some signage, some media campaigns and even some education in their own communities, looking within their groups so they can talk among themselves," Mr Marshall said.

"This young chap had one lesson and he might have thought he had the ability and obviously he didn't."

In November 2020, Royal Life Saving NSW launched a water safety education campaign in Arabic, Nepalese and simplified Chinese following the drownings of men from Nepal and Bhutan in the Murray River and at Lake Hume.

Mr Lunanga's friends said they would appreciate signs in their native Swahili.

Cr Thurley said the city needed to act following the weekend tragedy.

"I would suggest council has a good look as to how we can help those refugees by swimming lessons and water safety lessons and signs if they're going to be effective," he said.

"The council might want to talk to the Albury-Wodonga Ethnic Communities Council and ask them about languages for signs."

Mr Marshall noted the Christmas Day misadventure had reignited calls for lifesavers along the Murray River in Albury.

He said it would not be feasible given the resources needed.

"You would need half a dozen places between the Union bridge and the old Cumberoona boat ramp to keep a visual and then there's the equipment with paddleboards, flotation devices and ropes," Mr Marshall said.

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